The present invention relates to the field of switched telephony, and more particularly, to a method and system for integrating wireless telephones into a wireline messaging environment.
With the proliferation of wireless communication networks, many telephone customers now use a combination of wireline and wireless telephones to meet their communication needs. Indeed, it is not uncommon for a single user to have more than one telephone line at home, more than one telephone line at work, and at least one wireless telephone. Telephone customers have come to depend on the flexibility of this combination to communicate irrespective of location.
Having multiple wireline and wireless telephone numbers, however, presents problems retrieving telephone messages. Usually, a caller who calls a user who subscribes to multiple telephone lines dials one of the user""s telephone numbers. If the user is away from the particular device that is called and does not answer the call, the caller typically leaves a message on a voicemail system. In the past, such voicemail systems have been isolated on the network of the particular telephone line that is called. Thus, to retrieve all messages, a user had to check the voicemail system of each network separately.
Recognizing the trouble of constantly checking multiple voicemail systems, messaging service providers (MSPs) developed voicemail systems that integrate incoming messages across different networks. Thus, for example, a user could direct all messages for her wireline and wireless telephone lines to a single voicemail box. Consequently, the user would need only to check a single voicemail box to retrieve all messages.
According to these standard voicemail systems, a voicemail platform is in communication with a central office switch. The central office switch is in communication with the wireline and wireless networks. Unanswered calls to a subscriber""s wireline and wireless telephone numbers are routed to the voicemail platform through the central office. Thus, regardless of the particular telephone number the caller dials, all voicemail messages end up in the same voicemail platform.
Despite providing centralized voicemail boxes, these integrated voicemail services present difficulties in notifying a user of the receipt of a message. Specifically, because all unanswered calls are forwarded through the central office to the voicemail platform, the voicemail platform is responsible for activating message waiting indicators on all of the associated telephones (e.g., a stutter dial tone, an illuminated light, or a displayed icon). Thus, for example, if a user away from his work office receives an unanswered call to his wireline office telephone, and the call is forwarded to the voicemail platform, which records a message, then, ideally, the user would want to receive a message waiting indicator on his wireless telephone to report to him that he has received a new voicemail message. This notification would avoid the burden of constantly checking the voicemail for messages received through a remote telephone. Similarly, if the user is in his office and receives a message through an unanswered call to his wireless telephone, which is turned off or out of range, the user would want to receive an indication of the message on his office wireline telephone.
To provide message waiting indicators on all of a user""s associated telephones, wireline network providers developed methods for supporting messaging from the voicemail platform to a xe2x80x9cforeign network.xe2x80x9d As used herein, xe2x80x9cforeign networkxe2x80x9d refers to a network that is not local to the network including the central office switch that serves the message provider. This local central office switch is sometimes referred to herein as the host switch.
FIG. 1 illustrates a typical prior art method and system for providing messaging from a voicemail platform to a foreign network. Messaging service provider 100 contains a telephone list 102 indicating telephone numbers that a subscriber to the messaging service has associated with her voicemail box. An unanswered call to any of the listed telephone numbers is routed to messaging service provider 100 for the recording of a message and the indicating of the recorded message. In this example, the subscriber has associated with the messaging service a wireline telephone number, 404-332-212X, and two wireless telephone numbers, 404-792-123X and 404-792-100X.
Telephone list 102 also contains an activation flag indicating whether the subscriber has subscribed to the message waiting indicator (MWI) feature for the particular telephone number (device). In some instances, for example, on a seldom-used mobile telephone, a subscriber might not care to have, nor want to pay, for an MWI displayed on the mobile telephone. In this example, the subscriber has opted for the MWI feature on two telephone lines, 404-332-212X and 404-792-123X.
Once messaging service provider 100 receives an unanswered call to one of the three telephone numbers and records a message, messaging service provider 100 sends an MWI message for each of the activated telephone numbers on list 102. For the wireline telephone number, messaging service provider 100 transmits an MWI message to a host switch 104 using Inter-switch Simplified Message Desk Interface (ISMDI). Host switch 104 is a central office switch. ISMDI is a signaling interface used by a messaging service provider to support incoming call and message waiting integration between all supported switches in a Local Access and Transport Area (LATA). Simplified Message Desk Interface (SMDI) defines signaling between a messaging system and a central office switch, which defines the original intended destination of a forwarded call.
After receiving an MWI message for the wireline telephone number 404-322-212X, host switch 104 determines if it xe2x80x9cownsxe2x80x9d (i.e., is associated with) the NPA/NXX (NPAxe2x80x94Numbering Plan Area/NXXxe2x80x94a specific central office) corresponding to the telephone number, and further, if it owns the particular number (last four digits). In this example, host switch 104 does own 404-322-212X. Therefore, host switch 104 activates an MWI (for example, a stutter dial tone) on the subscriber""s wireline telephone 106.
For the wireless telephone number 404-792-123X, messaging service provider 100 forwards to host switch 104 an ISMDI MWI message that references the wireless telephone number. Host switch 104 determines that it does not own 404-792, and in response, forwards to a signal transfer point (STP) 108 an MWI message using a non-call-associated Signaling System 7 (SS7) signaling protocol, such as Transaction Capabilities Application Part (TCAP).
Wireline network signal transfer point 108 contains a table 110 that cross-references NPA/NXXs with network point codes. Point codes identify every node in the SS7 network in the format NNN CCC XXX, where NNN is a network identifier, CCC is a cluster identifier, and XXX is the node identifier. In this example, table 110 shows that 404-792 corresponds to point code 001.002.052. With this routing information, wireline network signal transfer point 108 transmits a TCAP message to wireless network signal transfer point 112, which serves the wireless network 114 corresponding to point code 001.002.052. In this example, wireless network 114 is the foreign network.
Within wireless network 114, protocol gateway 116 translates the TCAP MWI message to a signaling protocol compatible with the wireless network, for example, Interim Standard 41 (IS-41). After the translation, protocol gateway 116 transmits an MWI message through mobile switching center 118 and antenna 120 to the subscriber""s wireless telephone 122. In response to the MWI message, wireless telephone 122 indicates that a message has been recorded in messaging service provider 100 by, for example, displaying an icon on its screen.
According to the conventional method shown in FIG. 1, routing is based on the 6-digit NPA/NXX, relying on the fact that the networks to which the foreign network telephone numbers belong (which, in this example, are wireless telephone numbers of a wireless network) can be identified based solely on the NPA/NXX. In other words, the method assumes that each NPA/NXX, as a block of 10,000 telephone numbers, is wholly owned by a single foreign network carrier (e.g., a single wireless carrier). Under this assumption, the host wireline telephone network can route all calls for a NPA/NXX to a particular trunk group of a foreign network carrier.
Unfortunately, not all NPA/NXXs are wholly owned by a single carrier. In fact, within a block of 10,000 telephone numbers in a NPA/NXX, some numbers may be assigned to the wireline network, some may be assigned to a wireless network, and still others may be assigned to other wireline and wireless networks. As used herein, a xe2x80x9cshared NPA/NXXxe2x80x9d refers to this situation, in which the block of 10,000 telephone numbers in an NPA/NXX is assigned to more than one entity. Therefore, to forward message waiting indicator messages to the proper foreign network carrier of a particular foreign network telephone number, the routing network must distinguish the foreign network telephone numbers from the other network numbers on a more granular basis. In other words, the routing network must identify the different networks to which individual telephone numbers within a single shared NPA/NXX belong.
The following co-pending related applications, which are assigned to the assignee of the present invention, solve the above-described problem of forwarding information, such as a message waiting indicator, to a telephone number of a foreign network (e.g., a wireless network) that is part of a shared NPA/NXX: application Ser. No. 09/742,376, xe2x80x9cMethod and System for Message Routing,xe2x80x9d by James C. Bedingfield, filed Dec. 22, 2000, and application Ser. No. 09/742,377, xe2x80x9cMethod and System for Message Routing,xe2x80x9d by James C. Bedingfield, filed Dec. 22, 2000. Related application Ser. No. 09/742,376 uses a service control point (SCP) and a service package application (SPA) to deliver an MWI message from a message service provider to a wireless telephone number of a shared NPA/NXX. Related application Ser. No. 09/742,377 uses a special or inactive (i.e., xe2x80x9cpseudoxe2x80x9d) NPA to deliver the MWI message. Each of these related applications is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
Although the related applications solve the problem of delivering an MWI message to a wireless network for a telephone number of a shared NPA/NXX, there remains a need for a system and method for receiving an MWI message in a wireline TCAP format, translating the MWI message from the wireline TCAP format to a protocol compatible with the wireless network, and delivering the reformatted MWI message to a wireless telephone to activate the MWI. Specifically, with reference to FIG. 1, there remains a need for a system and method for delivering an MWI from STP 112 to wireless telephone 122, within wireless network 114, such that wireless telephone 122 indicates the presence of a message in a user""s voicemail box.
FIG. 2 illustrates the challenges involved in receiving an MWI message from a wireline network and, in response, activating an MWI on a wireless telephone. As shown, calling party 200 is in communication with a central office 202, which is part of a wireline network 204. Called party 206, a wireline telephone, is also in communication with central office 202.
For clarity, FIG. 2 does not show every component of a conventional voicemail messaging network. One of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate, however, that such a network would include additional components (e.g., signal transfer points, or STPs) and redundant components (e.g., multiple central offices).
Called party 206 subscribes to an integrated voicemail messaging service, which is provided by messaging service provider 208. Messaging service provider 208 is in communication with central office 210, which, in turn, is in communication with central office 202. Typically, the connection between the voicemail platform of messaging service provider 208 and central office 210 is an SMDI link, but the connection could be implemented using other technologies such as SS7 or Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP).
To establish a central voicemail box according to the integrated voicemail messaging service, the subscriber of called party 206 associates his wireless telephone 212 with his voicemail box in messaging service provider 208. In this way, messaging service provider 208 records a message from any of the subscriber""s associated wireline and wireless telephones (which are telephones 206 and 212 in this example). Wireless telephone 212 is in communication with messaging service provider 208 through antenna 211, Mobile Telephone Switching Office (MTSO) 214, and central office 210. MTSO 214 corresponds to mobile switch 118 of FIG. 1.
In addition to recording messages from all associated telephones, as explained above, it is desirable for messaging service provider 208 to activate MWIs on all of the associated telephones, after a message has been recorded. For wireline telephones, activating an MWI from messaging service provider 208 is simple because messaging service provider 208 forwards an SS7 message recognizable to central offices and wireline telephones. On the other hand, MTSOs and wireless telephones do not recognize the type of message delivered by messaging service provider 208. Thus, there remains a need for a system and method for activating an MWI on a wireless telephone in this context. The following example illustrates this need in more detail.
This example assumes that calling party 200 has dialed either called party 206 (404-555-2222) or wireline telephone 212 (770-555-1234), that the call was not completed (e.g., the called party did not answer, the line was busy, or the subscriber had activated a call forward busy feature), and that the call was forwarded to messaging service provider 208 and a message was recorded. With a message recorded, messaging service provider 208 must now activate the MWIs on all of the called party""s telephones.
According to a conventional method, messaging service provider 208 sends a message to central office 210 through an SMDI link. Central office 210 converts the SMDI message into a wireline SS7 TCAP message, known as a ReportEventMessageAvailable message. A ReportEventMessageAvailable message is a TCAP operation used with Voice Message Storage Retrieval (VMSR) systems. When a subscriber uses such a service, and the VMSR system is located at another exchange (other than the subscriber""s), the ReportEventMessageAvailable operation is used to alert the subscriber""s exchange of a message. In other words, the ReportEventMessageAvailable message instructs a central office to activate an MWI for a particular telephone. Thus, in this example, central office 210 forwards the ReportEventMessageAvailable message to central office 202 to activate the MWI on the wireline telephone of called party 206. The MWI could be a stutter dial tone or an illuminated light, for example.
The publication, Message Waiting Indicator Control and Notificationxe2x80x94Supplementary Services and Associated Switching and Signaling Specifications, ANSI T1.622-1998, describes how a messaging service provider associated with one central office can activate an MWI on a telephone associated with a second central office. This publication is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
Optionally, instead of using an SMDI link, some voicemail platforms support SS7 signaling with the central office. In such a case, in FIG. 2, messaging service provider 208 would forward the ReportEventMessageAvailable message through an SS7 link to central office 210. Central office 210 would then forward the ReportEventMessageAvailable message to central office 202 to activate the MWI on the wireline telephone of called party 206.
Although ANSI T1.622-1998 addresses MWI messaging between central offices of a wireline network, it does not facilitate MWI messaging between a central office of a wireline network and an MTSO of a wireless network. Simply put, the MTSOs prevalent in conventional network systems do not recognize the ReportEventMessageAvailable message of ANSI T1.622-1998. Thus, in FIG. 2, forwarding a ReportEventMessageAvailable message from central office 210 to MTSO 214 will not activate an MWI on wireless telephone 212.
The present invention is a system and method for delivering an MWI message to a wireless system, such that an MTSO of the wireless system can recognize the MWI message and correspondingly activate an MWI on a wireless device (e.g., a wireless telephone). The present invention cooperates with conventional SS7 messaging to facilitate the delivery of MWI messages from wireline networks to wireless networks. In this manner, the present invention enables a messaging service provider, which is in communication with a wireline network through a central office, to send an MWI message through the central office and to a wireless device as a part of an integrated voicemail messaging service. Thus, the messaging service provider is able to activate an MWI on all devices that a subscriber has (i.e., wireline and wireless devices) to indicate that a message has been recorded. The MWI could be, for example, an icon, an illuminated light, or a text message.
According to a representative embodiment, the present invention processes a standard SS7 ReportEventMessageAvailable message, making the message compatible with a desired wireless protocol, such as analog, Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), and Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM). An MWI processor executes this function anywhere between, and including, the messaging service provider and the MTSO.
For example, the central office of the messaging service provider could deliver a ReportEventMessageAvailable message to the wireless network, in the same way that the central office delivers a ReportEventMessageAvailable message to other central offices of a wireline network according to conventional SS7 signaling. An MWI processor in the wireless network would receive the ReportEventMessageAvailable message, transform the data into a compatible wireless protocol (as described in detail below), and deliver the message to a MTSO to activate an MWI on a particular wireless device.
For wireless telephones operating under analog, TDMA, and CDMA protocols, an embodiment of the present invention activates an MWI through a unique use of an InformationDirective message.
For wireless telephones operating under GSM standards, an embodiment of the present invention activates an MWI using Short Message Peer-to-Peer (SMPP) messaging.
Also for wireless telephones operating under GSM standards, another embodiment of the present invention activates an MWI using Short Message Service (SMS) information requests.